Esophagus and stomach

The esophagus is a stretchable muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach and transports the food into the stomach. In the stomach, the food mass is mixed with stomach acid and pre-digested. It then leaves the stomach through the so-called pylorus and is further broken down and processed in the small intestine continued and processed.

Benign diseases of the esophagus and stomach

Reflux disease (heartburn and hiatal hernia)

Causes are a weakness of the valve mechanism at the lower end of the esophagus (where it leads into the stomach) and/or a gap in the diaphragm that is too large for the passage of the esophagus (hiatal hernia). This causes too much stomach acid and/or bile to rise, leading to "burning."

Therapy: First, treatment is administered through medications that suppress acid production in the stomach. If this does not help, for example in the case of a hernia, surgery may be considered. This is performed minimally invasively using keyhole technology or robot-assisted: The hernia is closed, and a cuff is formed from the stomach that encircles the lower esophagus like a collar and is intended to prevent the ascent of acidic stomach contents.

Malignant diseases of the esophagus and stomach

Esophageal cancer

The most common symptom is severe swallowing difficulties that arise when the tumor narrows the esophagus. Other symptoms include gag reflex, loss of appetite, heartburn, and weight loss. In case of suspicion, a small tissue sample is taken and the diagnosis is refined in the next step, for example through computed tomography and endosonography as well as possibly PET-CT.

Therapy: Multimodal therapy concepts have proven effective - meaning an individual combination of methods. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery are available. In most cases, the tumor is pre-treated with radiation and/or chemotherapy and then subsequently operated on.

Stomach cancer

The first symptoms are harmless and can include symptoms such as belching, bad breath, bloating, or fatigue. Other warning signs include nausea and vomiting or a sudden aversion to certain foods, especially meat.

Therapy: Since there are different types of stomach cancer, "multimodal therapy concepts" are used in treatment, which are coordinated interdisciplinaryly in a so-called tumor board. In any case, an individual approach can be taken. Usually, a chemo- and/or radiation therapy is initially performed, followed by surgical removal of the tumor in the second step. In the operation, either the entire stomach or part of it is removed, and to restore the passage, a loop of small intestine is connected to the esophagus or the remaining stomach. These procedures are also performed minimally invasive or robot-assisted in specialized centers.